The Heart of a Lioness
by miss.kain
Summary: Tachibana An's a girl with a fierce spirit. One day, she stands to defend a group of little children from a big bully, and gets the help from a pair of Rokkaku, the Veteran of Chiba: Harukaze Kurobane and Kisarazu Ryou.
1. Into the Lion's den

Fanfic - The Prince of Tennis

Disclaimer: POT and characters belong to Konomi Takeshi.

Rating: T

Summary: Tachibana An's a girl with a fierce spirit. One day, she stands to defend a group of little children from a big bully, and gets the help from a pair of Rokkaku, the Veteran of Chiba: Harukaze Kurobane and Kisarazu Ryou.

Pairings: An/Kurobane; An/Kisarazu R.

**Author's Note**: Tachibana An-chan has a personality that I deal better with than Ryuzaki Sakuno's. She's strong, determined and passionate. I like characters with a bold personality, it's easir to translate their thoughts and actions, and it's funnier. But, An-chan also has a more complicated part to describe... because she doesn't open her heart easily is a romantic way. Well, let's hope that Kurobane or Kisarazu will be able to open her shell.

**Into the Lion's den**

That was all she needed. A break from all those trainings, all those classes, all those people... and a break from being a Tachibana and all the duties related.

Tachibana An looked out the train window, savoring the feeling of freedom. Here she was, enjoying her first solo trip, without seven meddlers to bug at every little thing that happened to her.

Of course she loved them all, those seven beetle-heads from Fudomine tennis team, including her _onii-san_. But she was tired, and she wanted to do some things on her own.

She hate that "damsel in distress" crap, and the way all the boys thought she needed protection 24/7. She couldn't have a decent conversation with anyone, except with her friend Sakuno, but obviously because she's a girl, and a very sweet one.

But she didn't have any male or female friends from her class. The boys were scared to talk to her, due to her brother's threats at any boy who came near her. And the girls thought she was a tease and a slut that played with the heart of all the boys from the tennis team.

And that was ridiculous.

She could never have a romantic relationship with any of them. They were like brothers to her.

The train stopped, and An got up. Here was her stop. The Chiba prefecture.

Okay, she wasn't that far from Tokyo now, but at least she knew there was no way she would bump into anyone familiar.

She planned to visit three tourist locations in Chiba: the Onjuku beach, the Kujukuri beach and Nokogiriyama.

The weather in Chiba was very pleasant, the summer was cooler here than in neighbouring Tokyo.

An decided to go to Kujukuri first, a sandy beach located on the east coast and a very popular swimming and surfing destination. She would take the railway tomorrow morning, so she went to look for a hotel to sleep for tonight. It was six o' clock and the sun was setting.

She was walking down a quiet street, when she heard a crashing noise coming from an alley. An peeked inside and saw five little children wide-eyed. A little girl with black hair and two braids was holding something to her chest. That girl reminded An of Sakuno-chan.

- That's my bike, you brats! - a tall, muscular and mean looking man appeared from behind them.

- B-But... - a little chubby boy tried to speak, but he was terrified.

- You took Kana-chan's kitty! - another boy, with a blue cap said. Oh, he was brave for such a small boy.

- That thing? It scratched my bike, that little trash. Now give it back to me, so I can kill it! - the big man said, and reached for the cat in the little girl's arms. She closed her eyes, scared.

- HEY! A big bull like you should leave this kids alone. - An said, stepping in. Oh, how she hated bullies! And she wouldn't let that one do any harm to those kids.

The man lifted his head and looked at her. He gave a feral grin and his small, dark eyes had a dangerous spark. An narrowed her large, blue-grey eyes at the man.

And both took a step forward, approaching one another.

**:..:..:**

- This place is really calm today, ne? - Davide said, looking around. Normally, this playground would be full of children, running around and playing.

- _Nani_? - Itsuki said.

- I said, this place is too quiet. Don't you think, Bane? - Davide asked his partner.

- Yeah... maybe the kids are playing someplace else, or they already went home... - Kurobane said. He didn't like that playground so empty, without any child. He had a soft-spot for kids, that was for sure, and the kids also liked him.

Suddenly, the sound of light footsteps echoed through the playground, and they saw a little figure running towards them. Kurobane smiled.

- Hey, Shinji-kun! - he said to the small boy wearing a blue cap. The boy had a terrified expression on his face, and the Rokkaku regulars gathered around him.

- _Onii-chan_! _Onii-chan_! - he managed to say between sobs. He clutched Kurobane's t-shirt tightly.

- Hey, what's the matter? - Aoi asked the boy. Shinji was trembling.

- The cat... and Kana-chan... and the big bad guy came... _onee-chan'_s fighting him! - the little boy said, still crying.

Kurobane's eyes narrowed. He knew something was wrong.

- Where? - he just asked the boy.

- At the... candy-shop... alley! - the boy said, with tears in his green eyes. Kurobane nodded.

- Stay here with him. - he told Itsuki, and started to run. Aoi and Davide went with him. 

**:..:..:**

- Huh! You're a feisty little thing, aren'cha? - the man said, laughing. He wore a yellow and red bandanna, covering his bald head. Oh, he was enjoying to play with that street cat girl. She dodged, and evaded most of his attacks, but the few he managed to hit, did a pretty bad damage to her small body.

An was panting now, almost exhausted. The guy was strong, she admitted. Fortunately, he was also slow and she managed to avoid many blows. The years of tennis practice left her more agile and tough than other girls, but she was getting tired now.

If he continued much longer, she could not stand. But she had to! Otherwise, he would get the cat and the children. An shook her head. She had to concentrate here.

The man moved again, with an evil gleam in his eyes. An was cornered. He shook his muscular arms, trying to hit her head. She ducked his first jab, but the second hit in her stomach. She fell to the ground coughing.

- Ha! Pathetic! - he said, laughing histerically. - Just stay there, sweetie. I'll come back for you in a minute. - he said, and smiled slyly. - Now, now... first things first. Give me the cat, little piece of trash. - he said, and approached the group of kids. - I won't let any of you, little rats, escape me again... you have to pay for the scratch on my bike.

The kids hugged each other, trembling, terrified.

But, before the man could reach to them, An was standing up again. And she was protecting them with her body.

- Stay away... from them! - she said, panting. She had a cut in her lower lip, a black eye and several injuries. Her left arm hurt a lot, just like her stomach. That last blow was really strong.

But she would never let him hurt those children.

- Tche! I told you, candy-girl. - he had a mad expression on his face. - Stay. Down! - and threw a punch toward her. An never closed her eyes.

**:..:..:**

- What happened? - Saeki asked. He and Ryou were coming back from the library when they met Kurobane, Aoi and Davide, running like crazy. The only thing Kurobane said was "There's trouble!", so he and Ryou decided to follow the trio.

- We're not sure.. - Aoi replied. Kurobane was leading them to the candy-shop alley, anxious to find out what was happening. The little boy mentioned Kana-chan and her cat, and some big guy... Kurobane frowned. But who was this _onee-chan_?

Another block and they were almost there. A loud bang was heard, followed by the sound of something hitting the ground. A rough laughter was echoing, drowning out any other sounds.

_"Stay away... from them!"_, a feminine voice came from the alley. When Kurobane and the others finally arrived, a big, bulky figure was blocking their view. Kurobane stepped in, approaching the man wearing a dark leather jacket and what he saw behind that man made his heart skip a beat.

A lioness.

That was what he thought, looking at that girl standing and protecting the kids with her body. Like a lioness protecting her cubs from an angry buffalo. He was silently admiring her light-brown hair, slim silhouette, long legs and those beautiful eyes, when someone shoved him to the side.

Long, black hair passed him by, and Kurobane stared at a red cap in front of him. Kisarazu Ryou ran toward the muscular man, who was ready to hit a powerful punch at someone. Ryou stretched his tennis racket, and the man's fist connected loudly with it.

- What the hell? - the man roared, turning his head to see who dared interrupt his fun. He narrowed his eyes to the sight of five young men glaring at him, and cracking their knuckles.

- You'd hit the girl and those kids? What kind of a coward does that? - Aoi said, angry. All five boys glared at the man, and closed in around him. Kurobane raised his left hand, and smirked.

- He's mine. - he said. The man spitted, nervous to be underestimated. To his surprise, the other boys stepped back, allowing Kurobane to deal with the man by himself.

Even thought the man was a head taller than Kurobane, and apparently stronger, he was down in fifteen seconds, after a powerful blow to his nose.

- Pfffiuu! I can't believe he's already out.. - Davide said, poking the unconscious man with his foot. - Ne, ne, Bane! Don't you think you kicked him too hard? - he asked his partner. Kurobane's kicks were famous, and Davide knew that most of the time, Bane kicked him with less strengh then he was capable of. And he was grateful for that.

- Nah... this coward deserves! - Bane said, shrugging. He then turned his head, trying to get a peek at that girl again. She was staring at them, dumbfounded. Kurobane was suddenly caught at the beauty in those eyes, and did nothing but stare back at her.

- Ah... thank you... - the girl said, approaching them. Kurobane noted that her eyes briefly met his, but then she shifted her gaze to Kisarazu. Before the boy could say something, pitched cries startled them, and the children launched themselves at An's legs.

**:..:..:**

- _Onee-chan! Onee-chan! _- the little girl named Kana sobbed. An knelt in fron of the kids, waving her hands.

- I'm fine, I'm fine! - she said, smilling. - See? _Onee-chan_'s is fine... no harm done! So, please... don't cry, okay? Otherwise, I'm gonna be sad... - she said, and stroked the little girl's hair. Kana looked at her, big eyes shining with tears, and smiled back.

All the children nodded their heads. An got up, holding Kana's small hand.

- Now, that's better! - she said, winking at the kids, who smiled at her. Then, she noticed the boys looking at them, and she whispered at Kana's ear: - Do you know those guys?

The little girl nodded her head. - Un. They always play with us.. - she said.

- Excuse me.. - one of the boys approached An. He had silver hair, blue eyes and a gentle face. - We can take them home, if you want... - he said and looked at Kana-chan. The little girl smiled at him.

- He's Koji-_niisan_.. he's okay! - she told An, who seemed a little embarassed.

- Ah.. sure, thank you. - she said to the boy. - And you, take care, okay? - she told Kana-chan. - And you too! - she stroked the little cat's soft fur. An waved to all of the children, saying good-bye. Aoi and Saeki led them to their houses after meeting with Itsuki at the playground.

The minute they left the alley, and An couldn't see the children anymore, she closed her eyes and fainted.

**Continue...  
**


	2. In the hospital

Disclaimer: POT and characters belong to Konomi Takeshi.

**Author's Note: **First chapters are a bitch. But, they're necessary, being the ones containing the prelude of the story. Well, things happened, and An saw the boys, didn't talk to all of them, and even though Fudomine had a match with Rokkakku, she didn't recognize any of them... yet. Yeah, let's see what's gonna happen in chapter two... a much more pleasant chapter to write, in my humble opinion.

**In the hospital**

- I forgot my cellphone! Do you have yours? How am I supposed to call 911? Is she okay? She's not dead, is she? Ow, man! - Davide was pacing back and forth, desperate. He was fumbling through his backpack a minute ago, and when he did not find his cellphone, he started to freak out.

- David.. SHUT UP! - Ryou said, glaring at the boy. Davide stop his ramblings and looked at the shorter boy. - Kurobane already left, y'know? - he said, and walked away, following the path Bane went a few seconds ago.

- WHAT? Where did he go? - Davide asked, running to catch up with Ryou, who rolled his eyes.

When Kurobane saw An close her eyes, he antecipated her fainting. Before the girl's body could hit the concrete floor, he grabbed her by the waist, silently surprised to notice how light she was.

He told Ryou he would carry her to the hospital, since it was a few blocks down the main street. At that moment, Davide started his ramblings, and didn't notice Kurobane leaving the alley, carrying an unconscious An in his arms.

- Bah! I should be carrying her... I wouldn't mind that... - Davide said, smirking. Ryou, once more, looked back and glared at him. Sure, the girl was pretty, Ryou thought. But she was unconscious, for Pete's sake! It wasn't honorable to take advantage of an unconscious girl.

But if she was awake... Ryou mentally slapped himself. Saeki was right. He needed to get a girlfriend, and soon. Even his little brother Atsushi had dates!

He cursed his short height, compared to the other Rokkaku players. It always made him feel bad when they were around girls. Davide, being a loud-mouth and a tall bastard, attracted more attention than anyone else on the team. Of course, Saeki was quite popular with the ladies too.

Some girls approached him sometimes, but they referred to him as "cute" and "adorable". No seventeen years old MAN wanted to be call "cute"! "Handsome", "charming", and even "sexy" would be preferable than "cute". Puppies were cute, bunnies were cute, Kisarazu Ryou was definitely NOT cute.

Leaving aside these thoughts, Ryou and Davide reached the hospital in time to see Kurobane talking with a nurse. The woman was asking him a few questions about An, but he didn't know her name. Ryou delivered the girl's backpack to the nurse, saying that she might find some IDs inside.

The nurse thanked them, and left, flipping the pages of a small book, probably a phone book.

The three teenagers looked at each other, and went to the waiting room.

**:..:..:**

She could smell grass, sweat and... chocolate? With this unusual combination of aromas dancing around her, An woke up but didn't open her eyes, feeling strangely lightheaded. The soft rocking movement almost made her sleep again, but the smell was so intriguing that An preferred to stay awake and discover what smelled like that.

She thought it was funny, but she actually liked that smell. A lot. It made her feel calm and happy.

Something hard and warm was pressed against her body, and An nuzzled her nose, enjoying the scent that emanated from it. She used her fingertips to touch that warm thing, and despite its hardness, she felt a soft fabric, like a cotton sheet.

Was she in bed? No, it couldn't be. This thing was moving. An decided to open her eyes a bit, and she noticed a strong, masculine jaw right above her head. She realized she was being carried by someone.

_"Onii-san"_, she thought for a moment. But, no. Her brother didn't smell like that. Kippei did not eat chocolate to the point of smelling like it. And her brother always smelled like their dog, Gokutora, from playing long hours with the boston terrier. She often tells him to never go out without showering first, specially if he was going out with Chitose and his sister, Miyuki.

So, if it wasn't her brother carrying her, who was this stranger? For a moment, she feared a kidnapping. But this stranger was carrying her with tenderness, like she was a princess or something.

Her heart started to race. Moments ago, she was touching this man, almost caressing him! Of course, she didn't know it was a man, but still... how embarassing! What should she do? Yell? Try to kick him and flee?

A sudden sharp pain on her left arm made her mind turn backwards, recalling the moments that afternoon. The children, the cat, the big guy and... An blushed. That guy. That startling familiar guy, with the red cap and long black hair.

When she saw his face, after he launched himself in front of that monster's fist, she felt like she knew him. She forced her mind to remember where she saw his face before, but couldn't. The memory was right there, but she couldn't grasp it.

Oh. Was he the one carrying her? Because if he was, she would definitely brush aside those thoughts of kicking and fleeing. An felt tired. The sound of his heartbeat made An close her eyes. He saved her life that afternoon, and maybe he was carrying her too. God know's where to. But she didn't mind, because it felt so right to be in his arms like this.

With his heart beating furiously to the point An could feel it pumping, she fell asleep again.

**:..:..:**

Kurobane stretched his long legs, yawning silently. How long would they have to wait until someone could tell them anything about that girl's health? She had some nasty injuries, like a black eye and scraps all over her body... Kurobane frowned. He should have kicked that guy a lot more.

He turned his head to look at his silent companions. Wich was strange, because Davide was one of them. The usual talkative boy was pretty quiet for the past ten minutes. Maybe his voice faded, since he bombed Kurobane with questions from the moment he arrived with Kisarazu, until Bane aswered all his questions with a patience that was certainly unusual for him too.

Davide had his head tilted back, an arm over his eyes and mouth slightly open. Kurobane sighed. Of course he was quiet. He was sleeping! Deciding that a kick would just wake the noisy boy, Bane turned to look at his other companion.

Kisarazu was staring at the wall, with a serious expression on his face. Kurobane then remembered the boy's earlier actions, and felt a little embarassed. While he just stared at that girl, Kisarazu acted fast and stopped that guy's punch. If he wasn't there, she would probably have a bad concussion to her head right now or something even worst.

That was when Kurobane remembered something:

- Hey... what about your racket? - he asked Kisarazu, who blinked a couple of times and looked at Bane.

- Broken... - he shrugged. - The impact was pretty strong... but I think I just need to fix the strings. The handle wasn't damaged.

- _Ojii_'s rackets are great... any other racket would be at pieces after that blow... - Kurobane said. Ryou nodded his head.

- Yeah... but _ojii_'s gonna bite my head off later... it took him eight months to do this racket, y'know? - Ryou frowned, thinking about how the old man would punish him for breaking that valueable handmade racket. Kurobane supressed a laughter and tapped the other boy's shoulder.

- I'm sure he'll understand... me and the guys'll cover you, don't worry! - Bane tried to cheer him. - You did it for a good cause.

- Thanks.. - Ryou grinned. - That sounds like I'm a hero or something. - Kurobane snorted, and this time he really laughed.

- Excuse me. - a nurse approached them. She looked a little annoyed, and the boys fell silent immediately. - That girl you've rescued.. she's awake now. Would like to see her? - she asked. Kurobane and Kisarazu looked at each other, and nodded their heads. The nurse made a gesture, indicating that they should follow her.

**:..:..:**

An touched her left arm carefully, silently thanking _Kami-sama_ that it wasn't broken. The doctor told her that she had injuries all over her body, but they weren't severe, so she would be fine in a couple of days. She was a lucky girl, the nurse said, smilling.

- We called your family. They'll be here soon. - she said, and left. An sighed, thinking about the scandal her parents and big brother would do when they heard about her condition. It would ruin her trip, that was for sure.

- Maybe I can escape before they arrive.. - she thought out loud.

- I wouldn't bet my money on that if I were you.. - a deep voice said. An closed her eyes, sulking for a moment, before turning her head to look at the person standing on the door.

- Hey, _onii-san.. _ - she said, greeting her older brother. The nurse said "soon", but she didn't think it was so soon. Tachibana Kippei had a serious expression on his face, wich meant he was very, very worried.

- An... what happened? - he asked her. - The nurse said you got hurt, but no details.

- Ow.. I.. got into a fight.. - she said, avoiding his eyes. Tachibana sighed, passing a hand through his dark hair.

- Again? - he said, approaching the bed. - What was this time? An old lady being mugged? Kids tying cans to the tail of a dog?

- No! - An rolled her eyes. - A guy trying to kill a little girl's cat. - she answered.

- Couldn't you just call for help? Or the police? Did you really have to get into a fight with a guy? I presume he was big and bulky, right? - Tachibana said, crossing his arms.

- There wasn't time for calling anyone... there wasn't anyone on the street, and the police would take some time to arrive.. I just acted, I couldn't let that guy hurt the cat, or those kids... - she said, pouting. Tachibana sighed once more and patted her head.

- Of course you couldn't. - he said. An looked up at him, and the siblings smiled at each other. - Did you beat him by yourself? - An shook her head. 

- Some boys helped me.. - An said. - I don't know their names, but the children knew them. - she looked thoughtful for a moment. - Thinking about it, one of them looked very familiar to me...

An remembered _that _guy, her saviour. She tried not to blush when she remembered the feeling of being carried by him, like a princess... or a bride. A soft knock on the door distracted her from those thoughts.

- Come in. - she said. Two boys entered her room, and An noticed how flustered they looked. But the boyd didn't look or talk to her; they adressed her brother.

- Tachibana-san? - they both asked. Tachibana Kippei raised one eyebrow, surprised, and approached the boys. In seconds, they were all shaking hands and talking like old acquaintances. An just couldn't beilieve her luck.

**Continue...**


	3. Karma

Disclaimer: POT and characters belong to Konomi Takeshi.**  
**  
**Author's note: **Last chapter was a bit shorter than I expected, but my mind isn't cooperating as it should be, since a lot of personal problems arised from the dephts of hell just to make my life miserable. I'm sure Satan is LOL now. Anyway: Finally, An'll talk to the boys...

**Karma**

The nurse pointed at a door near the end of the corridor, and left to meet a new emergency. Kurobane and Kisarazu turned their bodies to walk to the girl's room, when they saw a familiar face approaching the same door they were supposed to enter.

A tall, dark haired man, wearing a deep blue jacket was standing at the door, a serious look on his face. Kisarazu noted that the door was open, and the man leaned against the door frame, putting his hands in his pockets.

_"I wouldn't bet my money on that if I were you.."_, he said, his deep voice sounding slightly amused. A soft, feminine voice answered him, and a conversation began. Kisarazu and Kurobane didn't know wheter they should follow the man, or wait outside the room. When they heard the door being closed, they continued to approach the room and decided to stood outside for a minute.

They could hear the two people talking, and even if they didn't have the intention of eavesdropping on them, they still stayed there to hear their conversation. The man seemed very worried about the girl, questioning her about her behavior and what had happened. Finally, Kisarazu quietly turned his attention to Kurobane:

- That guy... I think I know him.. - he whispered. Kurobane nodded.

- Yeah, me too.. the famous Two Wings of Kyuushuu. - he said. Kurobane then raised his fist and knocked on the door. The same feminine voice answered, allowing them in. Kisarazu opened the door, and both boys entered, their eyes easily spotting that man.

- Tachibana-san? - they both asked, looking him more closely. The man raised one eyebrow, and came forward, approaching them. Both boys offered their hands for a handshake, and Tachibana returned the movement.

- Yes, it's me. - the man answered, with a grin. - And you're Rokkaku players, right?

- Yeah! I'm Harukaze Kurobane.. - Bane said, scratching the back of his head.

- I'm Kisarazu Ryou. - the other shorter boy said. At that moment, An leaned forward, a surprised gasp coming from her. The three boys turned their attentions to her.

**:..:..:**

An just couldn't believe her luck. Here she was, twenty five miles away from Tokyo and yet, she ended up meeting tennis players that knew her brother. When those two boys entered her room, she recognized them as the guys that helped her that afternoon. So, realization dawned on her: actually, she ended up being_ saved _by tennis players.

Is that what people call "karma"? Because, seriously, she came all the way to Chiba just to run away from tennis players and the troubles she got herself into because of them, and BAM! She ends up on a crazy situation, fighting a guy to save little children and tennis players come to her rescue. Why not basketball players? Baseball players? Any other sport! Why, in the nine worlds, tennis players?

An shook her head, trying to get those thoughts out of her poor head. She needed to rest. The boys were introducing themselves to her brother, shaking hands with him like he was some idol. Well, An mused, her brother was pretty famous in this tennis world. She turned her face at them, and just listened to their conversation.

The tall guy, who beated that bull with one kick, was named Harukaze Kurobane. An thought that his name really suited him. He seemed to be a nice person, with a sincere smile and bright eyes. She already knew how strong he was, and couldn't deny the admiration she felt for him. He seemed very noble and honorable.

- I'm Kisarazu Ryou. - the other guy said. An looked at him, her saviour. His long hair was so well taken care of, it almost made her feel jealous. She looked at his face, and he seemed to be so mature for his age, with a glint of wisdom in those dark eyes. And he was so brave, she thought, and blushed a little. Suddenly, the sound of his name clicked something inside her mind, and An remembered the face of another boy, so similar to him.

With a gasp, An straightened her back, her eyes wide open. Three pair of eyes turned to her face, staring intently at her with curious expressions.

- I knew I've seen your face somewhere! - she said, looking at her saviour. The boy blinked a couple of times, and tried not to blush at her piercing gaze. - You're Atsushi-kun's brother.

At the mention of his _otouto_'s name, Ryou tilted his head to the side, eyes widening. - You know my brother? - he asked, surprised. An smiled at him, glad to finally find out where she knew him.

- I went out with him a few times. - An said. Ryou's mind went to a frenzy. Wait. What? His little, helpless brother went out on a date with her? When? How? Atsushi didn't have the nerve to invite girls out! Good God, Saeki was right, again! The vice-captain mocked him once, saying that he should change his mannerism towards the ladies or else, even his younger brother would get a girlfriend before him. For Ryou, always the one to brag about his brother, it would be a death sentence. Atsushi would mock him forever. Revenge was a bitch, Ryou thought.

An noted the look on Kisarazu's face, the surprise, the confusion and a weird look, like he just got stabbed on his liver by someone. She felt the need to explain.

- My friend is a Seigaku student, and she's a friend of Fuji Syuusuke's younger brother, Yuuta. He's a student at St. Rudolph and one day, he invited her to a movie and I came along.. that's how I met your brother and the other St. Rudolph's players. Since then, everytime my friend Sakuno goes out with them, I tag along... they're a fun bunch, those guys. - she said.

Kisarazu's expression softened, and he seemed relieved. A small smile graced his lips and he looked at An, his confident nature stepping forward again. - Ah, I see. - he just said, the fact that she didn't go out on a date with his brother making him satisfied. The reason why he was so happy about it, Ryou decided to ignore for the moment.

- My sister knows a lot of players from other schools besides Fudoumine. - Tachibana said. Both Kurobane and Kisarazu seemed surprised to know she was his sister. They were very different, in appearance. While Tachibana was tall and strong looking, with an intimidating aura, his sister had a petite body, big, gentle eyes and a beauty that couldn't be ignored.

- All thanks to my brother. - she said, with a smirk. - He's the popular one. I'm always referred to as "Tachibana's little sister". I'm sure most of them don't even know my name... - she added, pouting. Tachibana patted her head, grinning.

- Well, I can't help it, An! It's not my fault I'm good at tennis. - he said, ruffling her hair. An rolled her eyes, and playfully punched his arm.

- Stop being cocky, _onii-san_! It doesn't suit you.. - she said. An turned her attention to the Rokkaku players, looking at them with a smile on her pretty face. - I never got the chance to thank you for helping me.

Kurobane blushed a deep shade of red, and mumbled something, avoiding her eyes. An noticed this, but kept quiet. Kisarazu smiled at her, and tipped his cap up. - Don't mention it. We're glad your safe, miss...

- An. My name is An. - she said, and when their eyes met each other, An could feel a hot wave invading her body. For a second, she wondered if this Kisarazu guy would be her downfall.. if he would be the one to change her current behavior. Tachibana Kippei raised one eyebrow, watching the exchange of words and looks between his sister and those Rokkaku players.

They were rivals to be acknowledge by anyone, very good and very strict players. He played against their vice-captain, Saeki Koujiro, at the Kantou Regional and won. It was a tough match, he remembered. Tachibana was a strong person, and he used his strengh to play tennis and to keep his sister safe. He was an overprotective older brother, specially determined to keep boys away from his little sister. An was a beauty, with a vivacious spirit that draw people toward her like a moth to flames. He wouldn't let any loser come near her, and only someone he could respect was worth his sister.

Tachibana frowned. Those two saved her life. One jumped in front of a guy's fist to protect her from harm, and the other beat the same guy to a pulp because he had hurt her. In a way, Tachibana knew he respected those two. He couldn't help it, they were great tennis players, they were brave and they had the capability to protect his sister. Even if he didn't like the idea of An dating one of them, he knew they would be good to her.

Tachibana was a very observant person too. His skills and victories in tennis weren't mere luck. He had the ability to analyze his adversaries, see their flaws and weakness. Because of that, he became observant even outside the tennis courts, watching people and deducing their thoughts from the way they acted.

And, Tachibana could see how those two guys were acting in front of his sister. One seemed so flustered and shy, like Ryuzaki Sakuno in front of Echizen Ryoma, he thought, or like Kamio Akira when he had that crush on An. The blushing, the muttering, the way he looked at her and quickly averted his gaze. The other one, seemed like a peacock or a rooster puffing his chest proudly. Over-confident smiles, eye in the eye, short but efficient words, like Atobe Keigo with his fangirls or even himself whenever he played against someone he knew he could beat.

Tachibana knew for a fact that An had no interest in weak man, but she treated strong guys like opponents to be beaten, to overcome. And, even if she had no romantic interest in shy, quiet guys, she also was very sympathetic with them. So, if she had to choose, wich one of them would she go for? The shy guy that she treats kindly, or the strong one that can keep her interest?

Tachibana sighed. His sister came to Chiba to avoid thinking about certain things related to tennis players, but she met two of them half an hour after she got here. If this wasn't karma, he didn't know what was.

- An... - he called her attention. She was having a quiet conversation with Kisarazu, asking him about the children, and Kurobane joined their conversation feeling at ease with the subject. She turned her head to look at her brother, showing that he had her attention. - Our parents want you to go home. - he said. An frowned.

- But I'm fine! No broken bones... the doctor said I can take the bandages after a couple of days.. - she said, looking down. - I don't want to go back, _onii-san_.

- I know, but they won't let you stay here by yourself... you can get in trouble again. - he said. - And I can't stay here with you. I have a lot of troubles myself. - he crossed his arms. An sighed, and looked at him.

- So? What do I do? - she asked. Oh, she wasn't gonna let this little incident get in the way of her trip. She waited so long for this, worked so hard to earn money to pay for everything. This wasn't fair. Tachibana was about to ask her if she wanted him to send Akira or Shinji, but a voice interrupted him.

- We can keep her company. - three pair of eyes turned to Kisarazu. He shrugged, and smiled. - I'm just offering, you don't have to accept, An-san. I know we don't know each other for a long time, but it's a sincere offer. Right, Bane? - he turned to his teammate. Kurobane blinked a couple of times, and nodded his head.

- My parents own a small hotel. - he said. - You can have a room there, if you want. - he offered. An smiled at him, and Kurobane blushed once more.

- Thank you. But I have other plans, I'm not staying here. - she said. - I want to visit a few places before going back to Tokyo.

- What places, if you don't mind me asking? - Kisarazu said. An seemed hesitant for a moment.

- Kujukuri, Onjukuri and Nokogiriyama. - Tachibana answered for her. An looked at her brother, silently cursing his name. Kippei just grinned at her.

- Oh! Well, Saeki has a house up there in Nokogiriyama. - Kisarazu said. - We went there once, in junior high.. it's a nice place.

An seemed thoughtful. If she accepted this offer, she wouldn't have to pay for a hotel, and would be able to stay in a better hotel at the beach. But, travel to the mountain with a group of guys that she barely knew?

- That sounds nice, An. I'm sure they're decent guys, wouldn't try anything with you... - Tachibana whispered in her ear. An frowned, shooting him a glare. Her brother knew her too well.

- Well.. I don't know... - she said, tilting her head to the side. Kurobane looked at her, hopeful. An sighed, giving in. She hated the idea of dissapointing someone, even a stranger. - Okay, I guess...

Bane tried not to smile too much, but couldn't help a grin. Kisarazu smiled as well, adjusting his cap.

- Okay! I'll talk to Saeki, but I'm sure he'll enjoy the idea. - he said. - Since you can't go to the beach with this bandages, we should go to Nokogiriyama first, and stay there for a couple of days... what do you think? - he asked. An actually liked his idea and nodded.

- It sounds... great! - she said, looking at his dark eyes. It was weird, but she already trusted him. The idea of him trying to get under her skirt never crossed her mind. But if it did, An probably wouldn't be that angry at him.

- I'm glad this is settled, An.. I'll talk to mom and dad, and I'll tell them you're in good hands. - Tachibana said, touching her shoulder. An smiled at him.

- Thank you, _onii-san_! You're the best! - she said, squeezing his hand.

Tachibana said he should be going now, and said goodbye to An. Kisarazu and Kurobane went out with him, since Kisarazu wanted to call Saeki and Kurobane felt embarassed to stay alone with An. When they were near the exit, Tachibana turned to the two boys, with a serious expression.

- I'm counting on you to watch over my sister. - he said. The implied message was clear to both boys, and they nodded their heads.

- Don't worry, Tachibana-san. She's safe with us. - Kurobane said, and shook his hand. Tachibana waved them goodbye. Suddenly, a shout startled them, and a confused Davide came running toward them, waving his arms.

- HEY! Were you planning on leave me here? You bastards! - he shouted. A nurse shot him a glare, and Davide closed his mouth. - Who was that guy that just left? He was familiar, wasn't he? - he asked. Kurobane and Kisarazu looked at each other and sighed.

- C'mon, you dope. I'll tell you on the way home. - Kurobane said, grabbing Davide's head and dragging him out of the hospital. Kisarazu went to the public phone, to call Saeki.

**Continue...**


	4. Phonecalls

Disclaimer: POT and characters belong to Konomi Takeshi.

**Author's Note:** I wanted to post as many chapters as I could, since I'll be going on a trip this friday and I'm not sure when I'll return home. I'll probably won't have the time to write any chapters while I'm away, so... I have to take the inspiration and keep writting until the infamous "writter's block" comes to haunt me... let's cross our fingers and hope it doesn't show up this time.

**Phonecalls**

Aoi Kentaro, the Rokkaku captain, was pacing back and forth in a neat room full of books and photographs. This wasn't the first time he came to Saeki's house, but was always amazed to see his collection of medical books and junior high pictures.

But, today, Aoi wasn't paying attention to any of those things. He was worried about that girl's health, wondering if she was alive or something. Maybe the guys didn't know that the hospital was nearby and were screaming for help while watching all the blood in her body pooling around their feet. A hand touched Aoi's shoulder, and he jumped, startled. He turned to look at Saeki's gentle, but annoyed face.

- Calm down, Aoi. I'm sure they'll call us soon. - he said, for the tenth time since they left the children at their homes.

- I should have stayed with them! I'm their captain and I left they there, all by themselves! - Aoi said, his big, pleading eyes shining with nervousness. Saeki tried not to laugh, and just closed his eyes, sighning. The fact that Aoi felt so responsable for his team mates was honorable, but Saeki imagined what Kurobane and specially Kisarazu, would say if they heard Aoi talking about them like some helpless, little boys who couldn't do nothing without his guidance. The fact that Aoi was younger then all of them made this even funnier.

The telephone rang, and Saeki patted Aoi's head. - See? They're probably calling us to give some good news. - he said, and picked it up. - Hello? Oh, Kisarazu! - he said and looked at Aoi, who sighed in relief. - Yes, the kids are fine. What about the girl? - Aoi seemed to get nervous again. - Ah, Kurobane carried her to the hospital... - Aoi smiled, and Saeki knew he was proud of Bane, for taking the right action. - I'm glad she's fine. - Aoi sat on the bed, relaxing. - What? She's Tachibana's little sister? What a surprise.. - Aoi's eyes shot wide open, and Saeki knew he was thinking about their match against Fudoumine. - My mountain house? Yes, we still have it, but... a trip to Nokogiriyama tomorrow?

Saeki was about to ask Kisarazu if he was mad, but Aoi suddenly jumped out of the bed and tried to grab the phone. - A trip? That's a great idea, Ryou! C'mon, Koujiro! I never went to your mountain house! - he said, and Saeki could hear Kisarazu's chuckling at the other end of the line. Saeki twisted his body, avoiding Aoi's hands and answered:

- Okay, okay! My parents aren't using the house right now, so there's no problem.. I'll ask them, but I don't think they'll refuse.. - he told Kisarazu, who thanked him. - You're welcome.. - and they hung up. - We're leaving tomorrow. - he announced to Aoi, who threw his arms up and danced around the room.

- YEAH! Let's have some mountain practice! I can't wait to have one of those monk's training, meditate under a waterfall, climb the highest trees... WOOHOO! - Aoi shouted. Saeki sighed, shaking his head. Of course their hyperactive _buchou _was thinking about training as fun. That was just how Aoi was. Saeki left the younger boy dancing around his room, and went to ask his parents about their mountain house.

**:..:..: **

At the other end of line, a smirking Kisarazu Ryou tilted his cap before walking back to the hospital. Ah, thank God Aoi was there, or this would have been a little more harder, he thought. Kisarazu knew that Saeki would have to be convinced about this trip, being the rational and strict guy he was. Good thing their captain was the opposite of that, and kept things balanced.

Kisarazu decided to tell An the good news, and was surprise to see how comfortable he was at her presence. Normally, he'd be a little stiff and cold towards a girl, or expect her to touch his hair without any warning. But An wasn't a sticky girl, she was cool and confident, a little distant too. Of course, he knew she had another side, a more fierce and strong one. He saw her defending the kids, the fire burning in those blue-grey eyes. And when she comforted them, despite her pain, and smiled. Her smile...

He never met another girl like her. He never noticed another girl, actually. Of course he looked at pretty girls, he was a teenage boy after all. But they never captured his attention like this before. He never got curious about them, never felt the need to talk or to know them.

He knocked the door and peered inside, offering a smile to the girl sitting on the bed. An was looking out the window and seemed distracted. She turned her face and smiled back at him. She patted the spot next to her, and Kisarazu approached her bed, sitting by her side. He felt a little nervous now, being this close to her, and his discomfort wasn't missed by An.

- I'm sorry. - she said. - I look at you and feel like I know you, but... you're not your brother, and we don't really know each other very much... sorry if I made you uncomfortable. - she apologized, feeling shy. Ryou's smile disappeared for a second, but he regained his posture and gave her a warm smile.

- You don't have to apologize, An-san.. I'm not my brother, but I hope you'll be my friend too. - he said. - Besides, I'm even better than him, so I'm sure you'll like me even more! - he grinned widely. An laughed at his words, her embarassment being completely forgotten.

- You're exactly like your brother described you.. - she said, looking at him. Ryou raised one eyebrow, and crossed his arms.

- And what did my little brother told you? - he asked, amused. An cocked her head to the side, and touched a finger to her lips. Kisarazu watched her movements, mermerized.

- Well... - she began, and stopped, to lock eyes with him. - Atsushi-kun said you were completelly over-confident, a failure with the ladies and an egocentric bastard. - when she finished, An tried to hide the smirk in her lips, but that was hard, seeing the look on Ryou's face. His eyes narrowed, and his face blushed a deep shade of red. Finally, he averted his gaze, biting his lower lip. - I agree with him only at the over-confident part.. - she said, and Ryou immediately turned his face to look at her again. - I'm not sure yet about the failure part, and I don't know you that much to say if you're egocentric or not.

- I guess you'll have to take your own conclusions, then.. - he said, smirking at her. An's breath caught on her throat, looking so deep in his eyes. The way he smiled, the spark in his dark eyes.. she felt dizzy for a moment.

- I guess so... - she whispered. The room fell silent, the two just looking at each other. A loud knock on the door scared them, and Ryou jumped off the bed like a bolt. A middle-aged nurse came in, and asked An to sign some papers.

- You can leave today, if you want, dear. - she said. An seemed thoughtful for a moment, and looked at Ryou.

- I'll leave today. - she decided. - Thank you for everything. - the nurse smiled at her, and instructed An to rest as much as she could, and change the bandages after taking a bath. In two days, she wouldn't have to use them anymore. Then, the woman turned her attention to Ryou, a hard expression on her old face.

- Take good care of your girlfriend, boy. - she said. - And it's better if you two don't have sex, at least for today. - Ryou's mouth dropped open, and An blushed like a tomato. - Don't give me that look, her arm isn't fully recovered. I'm sure you can keep your hands away from her 'till tomorrow, tiger. - she said, snorting and left the room.

After long minutes of silence, An stood up, avoiding eye contact with Ryou. - Ah, un... I'll.. change so we can.. leave.. - she said, looking for her bag. Kisarazu blinked a couple of times, and hid his eyes beneath his cap.

- Yeah, sure.. I'll wait outside... - he said, and quickly left. After the door closed, An leaned her head on the cabinet, sighning. What an embarassing situation! She breathed deeply, regaining her composure. When An was ready to leave, she remembered something: where was she going to sleep tonight?

**:..:..: **

- Ahn... so the girl is Tachibana's little sister... - Davide said, amazed. - She's nothing like him, don't you think? That guy looks like a street gang leader, but the girl is so pretty.. are you sure they're related? - Bane rolled his eyes.

- Yes, they are! - he said, annoyed. They were walking to his house, and Davide interrupted him every five seconds to comment on the girl's looks, don't even paying attention to the important parts. Kurobane just gave up on trying to explain him things and kicked him in the head. But Davide kept asking him about the girl.

- Genetic is a mystery to me... - the tall boy said, thoughful. - Maybe that's why I'm so bad at science! - he laughed at his own bad grades.

- That's not funny! - Bane said, kicking him again. How could David see anything funny about failing grades?

- Ouch, ouch! - he rubbed his head. - Hey, what was that about a trip? - he asked. Kurobane sighed.

- Tachibana-girl wants to visit some places here in Chiba... Kujukuri, Onjuku and Nokogiri. Since she can't go to the beach all bandaged up, Kisarazu suggested that we take her to Nokogiriyama, since Saeki-san has a house there. - he explained.

- Ah! I remember that house... good times, good times. - Davide said, nostalgic. - Okay! When do we leave? - he asked, all excited, and Kurobane frowned.

- You think this is a good idea? I thought Kisarazu was insane.. we don't even know her! - Bane said. Davide nudged him with his elbow.

- Aaw, c'mon, Bane! You don't wanna go on a trip with that pretty girl? Imagine yourself, stargazing with her, up there in the mountains, she feels cold and comes closer to you seeking warmth... - Davide said, a dreamy look on his face. Kurobane blushed deeply and shoved Davide away.

- What are you saying? _BAKA_! - and he ran away. Oh, stupid David! Why did he have to say all those things? Kurobane remembered something that he should forget, something that made his heart pound heavily against his ribcage.

He could feel her in his arms, the way she rubbed her nose against his chest, her delicate fingertips touching his body, almost like she was caressing him... "_She was dreaming!"_, he yelled in his mind. But, oh god, how we wanted to feel that again... to have her in his arms. Kurobane stopped running, breathless. He never felt so possessive over someone like he felt when he had her in his arms.

Almost like she belonged there, and nowhere else.

Kurobane gripped his hair with both hands. This was stupid. He barely knew her. She barely knew _him_! What was wrong with him? He never cared about girls before, never payed any attention to them. But his heart thumped strangely at the first sight. Right at that moment, when she looked like a lioness, he was so mesmerized by her that he couldn't react. He just stared.

He punched the wall, angry. Maybe this trip wasn't such a bad idea. If he got closer to her, maybe he would understand what was wrong with him. Why he felt like this when he saw her? He needed to find out.

- HEY, MAN! - Davide approached him, panting. - Why did you ran like that..? Did you had laps to run as a punishment and decided to pay them now? - he asked, confused. Bane nodded his head, glad that his partner was so clueless about everything.

- Yeah, I had. C'mon, let's drink some water.. - he said, and both boys entered his house.

**Continue...**

AN: I HATE editing in fanfiction..


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